Motor-vehicle



J. G. VINCENT.

MOTOR VEHICLE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1o, 1916'.

1,399,093. Peeented Dee. 6,1921;

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

J. G. VINCENT.

MoToR VEHICLE.

AVPPLICATIUN FILED FEB. l0, |9|6 1,399,093. Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Wizz ness i fame/ffm? Nrran fsTiArns Pavan :rnssn e. v iINoENT, ornnTnomMmnmAN, Assistentin To mensen MoToRoAR i COMPANY, QF DETROITMICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

MOTOR-VEHICLE.

`Specification of Letters-Patent.

Patented Dec.- 6, 1921.

Appncatinn mea Februari? 1o, 191e. serial No, 77,454.

-To all whom it .mag/conaerm' Be itknown-.that I, Jnssn Gr. VINCENT, acitizen of the. United Statesyand resident of Detroit, Wayne county,State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful `Improvements inMotor-Vehicles, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to motor vehicles and particularly to the axles;thereof.

One lofthe objects of the invention is to provide a simplified `form ofaxle, and-particularly one in which -the casing-is formed in two partswhich-are eX-actly alike or=sym metrical so that the two parts may becast in the same mold or formed with the 'Same dies, and passedthroughthesame machining operations. y Y v Another object oftheinvention is to provide a two-part axle casing divided at the middle,with a transverse 'driving-shaft hav- 4,ing two separated bearings,k:each fof which is wholly supportedinone ofthe axle casving parts.

Other objects rvand the features of novelty of the invention will appearfrom the following vdescription taken 1 in fconnection withthe'drawi-ngs which `form ,al part of this specification, and in :which-Figure 1 is a horizontal longitudinal section and part fplan -view of.amotgOr 4vehicle axle embodying this invention;

v Fig. :2' isa plan view' ofthe asile` shown Fig.=1 i i' Figs 3, 4 and.15 Jane plan views of `three other Vforms ofthe invention andv i Fig.-6 is an-end-'view o ffone ofthe-axle casing parts.- ormembers- Referringto the drawings, `1 0 represents van axle casing aslavv/hele,--Wh1ehcasing '1s ,Of tubular form enlarged at-.fthe :middleto receive the gearing,-andghaving wheels 11 axis of Athe aXle.Inbtherfwords, the joint .is ina diagonal-plane, angelementfoffwhichCutsthe aXS' Offthe -aXleisubstent-ially atea right `misle- The axis Qt.:the axle s. as-

iny

lelk line midway between the axes `of the y Wheels. l

It isintended that thecasingmembers 12 and 19 shall be exactly the samein form, comprising as each of .them does, a tubular portionl, anenlarged inner end 16, and a circular flange 17 upon Vsaid inner end.The tubular portions 15 of the respective casing ymembers are offsetslightlyrelative tok each other, as will bey clearly-.seen in Figs. 1and 2, andthe members. are detachably connected vtogether' by bolts 18flanges 17, the offset being to permit then-se of-l the particular formof gearing hereinafter described.

AWithin the casing 10-are mounted axleforv shaft sections 19, upon theinner ends of `which gears 20 are mounted or connected. Each ofy theseshafts 19, and yits respective ',gear, is supported independently" of:the

other in bearings 21 at the innerendy of one f of the casing vmembersl12, `13,-andV it will. be

understoodthat the outer ends of thefshaft `sections are suitablyconnected tothe wheels 11, for drivingfthelatter.

`Arranged between the gears 20 and the inner ends of the shafts .19 isatransverse driving shaft'22, upon which is mounted a Vdifferentialgearing 23 :and bevel ydriving pinions 24, the latter beingV in meshrespectively with the gears20, as will be clearly nseen'in Fig.1. Thisarrangement of gears provides a ldifferential driving connection betweenthe driving shaft 22 and the shaft `sections 19. j g

The driving shaft 22 is supportedk in the passing through their casing10 in suitable radialv and thrust bear- 1ings225f,y there'beingtwo ofthese bearings separated and mountedV in bearing supports 26 :and- 27 atlthe lfront and rear ofthe casing'10 respectively. The bearing support26 yis mounted in a front opening-t28 inthe enlarged vpart 16 'of/thecasing member "13, and it; is. provided with ank opening'29 throughwhich the driving shaft 22 passes, lwhilethe bearing support 27 is?mounted'fin an opening 30 in the enlarged'lportion 116ofthecasi-ngtmember 12. This ybearing supk.port 27 also forms acap forcompletely closing the opellngaSO.

y,,Iroiizrthe above description, it vwillbe .sea fthe beeriessZef@ typarting from vention.

and that they support the driving shaft 22 in both of the casing membersl2 and 13. `It is evident also that the axis of the transverse drivingshaft 22 is at a right angle to the axis of the axle; yetfeach of thebearing supports 2G, 27, is wholly mounted in one of the axle membersl2, 13; i

Referring to l? 3, it will be seen that a worm drive axle isillustrated. The casing members 33, 34 are symmetrically formed and arediagonally joined as at 35. Nithin the casing is worm -gearing 36,:which inv cludes a transverse worm shaft 37 supported ina pair ofseparated bearings 38 in the casing. rlfhese bearings may be similar tothe bearings 25 shown in Fig. 1,'and it will `be understood that one ofthem is in each' ofthe casing members 33,134.1 p i In- F ig. 4, both thejoint 45 between `the casing members 43 and 44, and the axis of thetransverse driving shaft 47 are arranged diagonally of the axis of theaxle. `Suitable bevel gearing 46 connects the driving shaft 47 with theshaft sections 49.y By arranging the driving "shaft `47 at slightly lessthanfa right angle to the axis of the axle,.and at an acute angle to theplane of the jointbetween the casing members, suitable clearance isvpermitted Vfor thev gearing 46 asshown in the cutaway portion of Fig.4, and a lesser angle ofthe joint between the casing members ispermitted while still maintaining the mounting of the driving shaftbearings in the two parts of the casing. l f

In Fig.` 5, the symmetrical Vparts 53 and 54 of the axle casing arejoined at and a.V `single pair of bevel'` gears 56 are employed tntransmit the drive from` the transverse driving shaft 57` to the shaftsections 59. In this construction, thev bearing support` 5l `closes theopening at the front of,v the ',casing, j

and a cap 52 closes the opening at the rear of the casing. Other formsmay be made also without dethe spirit or scope ofthe in- `Having thusdescribediiny'linvention, what I claim and desire to secure by LettersPat- 1.; In a vehicle axle, the combinationwith driving anddrivenshafts, ofa yrigid casing having relatively fixed bearingsytherefor, *f

said'casing comprising symmetrical `members diagonally' joinedtogether.` l

2. In avehicle axle, the'combination with `driving andidriven shafts, ofa rigid Acasing having relatively fixed bearings therefor, saidV casingcomprising members diagonally joined together, `eachmember havinga shaftbearing therein. l i o Y Ina Vvehicle axle, the combination with drivingand driven shafts, of *rigid casing having relatively xed bearingstherefor,

-saidV casing' 1 comprising two symmetrical members each enlarged at`one end and joined together in a diagonal plane at such i driving anddriven shafts, of a'rigid casing having-1 relatively `:fixed bearingstherefor, said casing comprising two members detachably connectedtogethenwthe joint-between saidm-embers being iii avplane diagonal toboth -inembers i @6. In a vehicle axle, thecombination with driving anddriven shafts,*of a rigidcasing i therefor, comprising two .j membersdetachably joined, vihe'joint beingin a vertical plane diagonal to theaxis of the axle;

7. Ina vehicle axle, the combination with driving and drivenshafts, of arigid casing Vtherefor comprising 4two members detachably joinedytliejointbeing lin a diagonal plane', avertical elementofwhich cuts the'axis :ofthe axle substantially at a.- right angle f L l i l.'`"MSnAvehicle' driving axle comprising two members having a joint in adiagonali plane, means detachablynconnecting Lsaid members,

and alined bearimgs',` one in eachmember,

foratransverselshaft, Y

driving axle' Casing nmembers each having a tu 'comprising two ularportion and lai-ged ends with the axes ofthe tubular por-v tionsofset. ii i' *102A lriving axle casing comprising two portion and an enlarged`fend, and. means joining: said `members fdiagonally at theenlargedends? with Vthe axesof` the tubular portions offset: V 1 11.*'ifrd'riving axlecasing comprising two symmetricaljmembers each having atubular portion andan enlarged end, bearings for a transverse sha-ft insaid casing, Aone of said bearings in eachmember, and vmeans joiningsaid enlarged ends with' the axesof` the tubullfar portions oifsetf.,``-Y 1 jportionand an 'enlarged end, bearings in y said easing, one in eachmember, andineans joining"` said4 members f diagonally `at theentionsoffsetl Y Y j `13. In kan axle,'incombination, a `casing formedoftwo membersfjoined in a diagonal "plane, shaft sectionsfinountedindependently 1in saidinemb'era'and a'transverse driving an enlargedend, and ,means joining said en symmetrical meIIlbQJTS @86h havin-g atubular 12,A driving axle casing comprisingtwo symmetrical members eachhaving a' tubular l larged ends with? the axes ofthe'tubular porp shaftconnectedA to'drive-said shaft sections fand having bearingsV in "bothsaid; members. VJ114,, In `an axle, incombinatlon, nii-casing formed oftwo members joined in a diagonal plane, shaft sections mounted in saidcasing, and a transverse driving shaft connected to drive said "shaftsections and having bearings in both said members.

15. In an axle, in combination, a casing formed of two members joined atthe middle in a diagonal plane, said casing having alined openings onein each member, bearing supports secured to the members in saidopenings, bearings in saidy supports, shaft sections mounted in thecasing, and a transverse driving shaft supported in said bearings andconnected to drive said shaft sections.

16. ln an axle, in combination, a'casing formed of two members joined atthe middle in a diagonal plane, said casing having alined openings onein each member, a bearing support secured to a member in one of saidlopenings, a bearing in said support, a cap over the other said opening,shaft sections mounted in the casing, and a transverse driving shaft insaid bearing and connected to drive said shaft sections.

17. In an axle, in combination, a casing formed of two members joined atthe middle in a diagonal plane, bearings in each of said members, thebearings of one member being offset relative to those of another, shaftsections mounted in said bearings, a drivingl shaft arranged at a rightangle to said shaft sections and `connected Vto drive the same, andbearings in said casing forsaid driving shaft. j

18. In an axle, in combination, a casing formed of two members yjoinedat the middle in a diagonal plane, bearings in each of said members, thebearings of one member being `offset relative to those of another, shaftsections mounted in said bearings, a driving shaft arranged at a rightangle to said shaft sections and connected to drive the same, and alinedbearings, one in each member, for said driving shaft.

19. ln an axle, in combination, a casing formed of two members joined atthe middle in a diagonal plane, bearings 1n each of s aid members, thebearings of one member being offset relative to those of another, shaftsec? tions mounted 1n said bearings, a driving Lalined openings, one ineach member, gear ing in said casing, a driving shaft connected tosaidgearing and mounted in a bearing in the front opening, and a capover the rear opening. Y.

21. In a vehicle axle, theV vcombination with driving and driven shafts,of a rigid casing therefor comprising symmetrical members diagonallyjoined together, said diagonal joint completely encircling the axle.

22. In a vehicle axle, the combination with driving and driven shafts,of a rigid casing therefor comprising members diagonally joinedtogether, each member making a complete surrounding joint and having oneof the shaft bearings.

23. In a vehicle axle, the combination with driving and driven shafts,of a rigid casing therefor comprising two members having an unbrokenjoint in a plane diagonal to both members and means detachablyconnecting said members. n

24. In a vehicle axle, the combination with a driving shaft and a rightangle driven shaft, of a rigid casing having relatively fixedbearingsfor saidshafts, said casing comprising opposite extendingmembers diagonally joined together.

VIn testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

Jitssn; e. viNcnNr.

